Mama Bear

Dear Friend,

This isn’t a normal blog post of ours. I am writing to beg for your prayers.

Friday started as any other day. It was my (Carrie) day to help at Restoration Emporium in the West Bottoms for the First Friday weekend. I headed up to the shop first to try to get a few things checked off my to do list before heading to the West Bottoms.

At 9am, I received a text that stopped me in my tracks. It was from Terri (affectionately known as Mama Bear, and an EtchLife owner). Her husband had a heart attack and they were at the hospital — he was unresponsive. I froze. Paralyzed. Not sure what to do…or think…or text back. I dropped to my knees pleading for God to do a miracle. This couldn’t be happening to my sweet friend and her family.

More texts followed, all growing more bleak.

You see, EtchLife is a family. It’s not just the four of us owners. Our husbands and kids are all fully immersed in what God is doing too. Terri’s husband, Doug, has been in the trenches with us. We bounce ideas off him to get wisdom in return. We ask him to run errands and carry boxes and bring us lunch when we’re at events. The man is a servant — and a sweet one, at that. The thought of losing him made me numb.

Kimberly was literally receiving Terri’s texts as she sat on a plane getting ready to take off for Houston. So, I picked up Kelsey and we headed for the hospital assuming we would be greeted with sorrow and grief.

As we walked into the ER waiting room, Terri’s face lit up and said, “He’s alive!” I don’t remember crying tears of joy before. I’m sure I have, but never like this. Kelsey and I both crumbled to the floor in relief and gratitude at the miracle God had done. It was only by God’s hand that such a thing could be true.

He is before all things, and by him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

That was four days ago. These four days have found highs and lows with Doug’s condition. He has opened his eyes, recognized his family, and shown signs of improvement. But, his body is still so fragile and far from being out-of-the-woods, so to speak.

Which is why I’m writing this post. We need your prayers. We beg you to join us in praying. We are hurting. We feel the closeness of the Lord as we approach Him — begging for more miracles. We have seen God working in and through this situation in so many ways. We have felt His peace and know that He works ALL THINGS for His glory and our good. But, we are hurting. Over the past few days we have seen God working miracles — He spared Doug’s life. We believe in the power of prayer, and that is why we are asking you to join us.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them. Matthew 18:20

Please pray with us…

For Doug — that he would be fully healed.

For Terri and their daughter — that they would feel the strength of the Lord as they navigate each minute of every day.

For the doctors and nurses — that they would have wisdom and be instruments in Doug’s recovery.

For us as an EtchLife team — to support and love the Soper family as they walk this long road.

Thank you for being our community — prayer partners to go before the Lord on our behalf. We will continue to post updates with specific prayer requests.

Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth. Psalm 115:1

In the meantime, please pray for our Mama Bear and her sweet family. And, Terri would be so blessed by your words of encouragement — share with her in the comments below…